1 . Many would consider emotions to be a barrier to decision-making and, therefore, think that they would be better off without them. However, the latest research has proved that our emotions will drive the conclusions we make, and that our well-being may depend upon our ability to understand and interpret them.     1     Here are some suggestions.

Start by understanding your emotions.     2     This mindful process of self-examination is important for healthy decisions, since emotions can influence our views and judgments.

Emotions can act as a compass (指南针), pointing you toward what matters most to you. However, strong emotions can affect our judgment and make it challenging to think objectively and critically.     3     You should be aware that emotions that arise from past experiences might cloud your judgment. Separate the present situation from the past and focus on the relevant factors.

    4     However, they should be connected with factual information. Take your time to gather crucial information before making important decisions. Analyse the pros and cons (利弊) of your options to make the best possible decisions.

It’s beneficial to expand your viewpoint. When you see the big picture and are focused on your highest purpose, you are not distracted by smaller issues. Figuring out your deepest long-term goals and pursuing them will channel your emotions toward peace and harmony.     5    

To sum up, emotions play a significant role in decision-making and, when used properly, they can improve the effectiveness of the decision-making process.

A．Emotions can provide valuable insights.

B．All this information can serve your goal in the long run.

C．You’ll recognize that a decision driven by your values is the best.

D．Actually, we can effectively use emotions for successful decision-making.

E．Take a moment to recognize how you are feeling and why you are feeling so.

F．Therefore, it is essential to balance emotional insights with logical reasoning.

G．You should try to understand how critical thinking contributes to great decisions.

2 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

What Color Is a Hug?

When my daughter Bernadette was 10 years old, I found myself very worried about her. Her mother had passed away before she turned one, and I, needing to provide for our livelihood, had to work long hours, leaving little time for her. Although she was close to her grandparents, unfortunate circumstances took them away as well. The series of losses implanted unbearable pain on her young soul.

A merciless series of losses like that is hard on anyone, especially a child. But it was particularly hard on Bernadette because of her sensitive and loving nature. Prolonged periods of isolation and silence led her into a deep depression. The sparkle in her eyes faded, and her face lost the once-present smiles. She lost interest in playing, learning, and even declined invitations from friends. She often lost in her own thoughts without uttering a word for a long time.

Witnessing my daughter’s suffering, I felt a deep sense of guilt and helplessness. I knew she needed more than just companionship; she needed a healing of the soul. I began reading more about child psychology, attempting to understand how to guide her out of this situation.

Over the next few months, I adjusted my work schedule to spend more time by her side. I tried to communicate with her, stepping into her inner world. I encouraged her to join some extracurricular classes, developing new friendships. Slowly but surely, Bernadette began to regain her interest in certain things, and smiles started to reappear on her face.

Meanwhile, I started using hugs to comfort her. Each embrace conveyed my love and support, providing her with warmth and a sense of security. Gradually, she became more cheerful and confident. She initiated social interactions, sharing her thoughts with friends. Her mood gradually lifted, and life regained its brilliance.

After years of effort, Bernadette finally stepped out of depression. Our habit of hugging has persisted to this day, becoming the most sincere bond between us. Now, as my daughter is about to enter university, and I am approaching my fiftieth birthday, she has promised me a special gift.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph1:

As her summer vacation began, she seemed even busier than before.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:

Before us was a warmly decorated studio, with a sign reading “Heartwarming Embrace Association.”

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3 . High school life, especially in the senior year, is a rollercoaster of emotions filled with challenges and pressures. The constant demand for academic excellence, combined with the expections of college applications, and managing extracurricular (课外的) activities can lead even the best students to feel the weight of stress. However, it’s not only possible but essential to find moments of joy and strategies to reduce the pressure efficiently.

Understanding the nature of stress is the primary step. Stress isn’t just a state of mental unrest; it’s a physiological response.     1     The body notices any form of demand, challenge, or threat and reacts by preparing for a “fight-or-flight” response. This is an ancient survival process that equips us to deal with threats, whether they’re a challenging exam or a physical danger.

Interestingly, not all stress is harmful. We often overlook the distinction of different stress. Acute (急性的) stress, in contrast to the chronic (长期的), can act as a force.     2     It pushes us to our limits, motivates us to meet deadlines, and often results in that rewarding feeling of accomplishment.

However, long exposure to stress leads to chronic stress. This kind of stress, if left unchecked, can cause various health issues ranging from mental health problems like anxiety and depression to physical ailments like high blood pressure and even heart diseases.

To reduce the effects of stress, mindfulness and meditation have proven effective. Even on a busy day, sparing just a few moments to focus on one’s breathing or practicing guided meditation can significantly reduce stress levels.     3     These practices help in grounding an individual, bringing a momentary escape from the chaos (混乱).

Pursuing hobbies or activities that one is passionate about can also be a good way. Whether it’s painting, reading, playing a musical instrument, or engaging in sports, these activities not only divert the mind but also release endorphins, the body’s natural mood lifters.

Another aspect is communication.     4     Sharing burdens, discussing worries, or just talking about one’s day can offer a fresh perspective and often lightens the load. Schools offer services, and there are numerous helplines available to assist students in distress.

So, with the weight of expectations, deadlines, and too many responsibilities, remember to prioritize mental well-being.     5     Every individual deserves moments of relaxation and happiness.

A．When channeled correctly, stress can be our friend.

B．This response is a swift, automatic sequence designed for survival.

C．Prioritizing self-care isn’t a luxury (奢侈品); it’s a necessity.

D．Every challenge, it approached with a positive mindset, can be an opportunity for growth.

E．Seeding external help or just talking to a friend can be incredibly therapeutic.

F．They attach us to the present, clearing the mental disorder and lifting the spirit.

G．These parts often provide processes adjusted to individual needs.

4 . One of the cores of emotional intelligence is self-regulation, an important skill in the workplace. Like any skill, mastery of emotional self-control requires intentionality and practice.     1    .

Pause to Mentally Distance

When you notice your typical physiological experiences associated with strong negative emotion, what should you do? Mentally step out of your immediate experience. Asking yourself any question, or imagining what you might look like to others right now, will do the trick. At that point, although still physiologically keyed up, you will be able to ask yourself, “What is the best course of action right now?” or “What advice would I give someone else who is in my shoes?”     2    .

Take Control of Your Self-Talk

We’re frequently unaware of how much self-chatter is going on in the background of our minds. Such self-talk might not be in fully articulated (铰接式的) words or phrases, but instead little flashes of thought. Becoming aware of your self-talk can be difficult. Why is this an important skill to develop?     3    . To genuinely ease a strong negative emotion requires tackling the source by examining the underlying belief and how accurate, reasonable, or useful it is.

Seek Support from Partners

Ask others you trust to help you recognize when your emotions seem to be getting the best of you.     4    . Agree on a gesture or word that might serve as a signal that your trusted individual wonders whether you’re riding the led-by-your-limbic-system train. Of course, there will be times they’re wrong. So, it’s important not to respond defensively when you get that signal. Reacting with anything other than gratitude ensures that your partner won’t take that risk again.

Cultivate (培养) Curiosity

Our brains are wired to draw conclusions and form judgments at lightning speed, and those are frequently the cause of our negative emotions.     5    , but we tend to run with them, sparking the self-talk that follows. Generally working to be more curious about other people’s experiences, including their self-identified motives for their behavior, helps avoid making hasty judgments.

A．They are comfortable with all emotions

B．Those judgments are not necessarily accurate

C．Doing so provides you with choices as to how to act

D．Explain your developmental goals and sincerely ask for help

E．Stay focused on coming up with an answer and following through on it

F．Because it is those background beliefs that fuel our emotional responses

G．Here are four ways you can develop greater emotional self-management

5 . Ways to Embrace Solitude (独处)

For many, being alone is something they shy away from because it’s like loneliness. But loneliness and solitude are not the same.    1    . The latter offers a chance to direct attention to self-care and self-discovery without outside influences or expectations from others. It sharpens your concentration and helps you focus on your tasks and also boosts your creativity regularly.

Psychologists even consider solitude as important as relationships and view the ability to be alone as a sign of healthy emotional development.    2    , just as people learn social skills to guide themselves in the world of relationships successfully. And some specific strategies may make it a constructive, enjoyable experience.

Enjoy solitary activities

People who enjoy solitude find satisfaction and meaning when getting absorbed in a hobby, reading for pleasure, or getting out in nature. They rarely experience boredom when they’re alone and genuinely enjoy themselves while doing something interesting.

    3    

In solitude, buried feelings, memories, or problems can surface. Rather than avoid being discouraged by them, you can learn to engage in the regulation with curiosity, using the private time to explore your feelings without judgment. Accepting and expressing them safely helps you self-regulate and release stress.

Be self-reflective

People who enjoy solitude are willing to self-reflect.    4    , reflecting on their values, or considering the bigger picture. Instead of going round about situations you can’t control, self-reflection invites self- awareness, bringing you closer to insight about who you are.

Know when to exit solitude

    5    , if you begin to feel lonely or your thoughts turn to self-harm. It is equally important to know when it’s time to leave solitude and seek the company of others.

A．Protect your privacy

B．Feel and regulate your emotions

C．They prefer listening to solitude signals

D．Break your solitude and turn for support

E．The former is marked by negative feelings

F．There are skills associated with its capacity

G．They spend time considering behavior patterns

6 . The workplace can be a perfect breeding-ground for “Misergonia”,also called desk rage (愤怒). It's a condition in which a series of noises and disorders cause people distress.

Sounds are often the trigger for Misergonia. The routine fire-alarm test is a case in point.“Attention please, attention please,” shouts a voice that is impossible to ignore.    1    For example, every office has its share of keyboard thumpers-people whose goal seems to be not producing a document but destroying the equipment.

    2    “This is a point that has already been made,” is how weirdly large numbers of people start to make a point. Why not just say "I don't value your time?"

Small IT failures are a fact of office life, but they can still be soul-destroying. The printer just doesn’t work.    3    Your cursor(光标)is just there, but when you move your mouse towards it, nothing happens.“Either your cursor is in a coma or the battery has run out,” offers up a colleague helpfully. Someone else fills the gap.“This is a point that has already been made.”they begin.

    4    It starts innocently enough, with someone asking for help with a problem. In come one or two replies, and then suddenly, a shower, as if nothing else mattered other than answering this one question. There are replies to replies, and replies to replies to replies. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves hugely, but there is always a silent, suffering group.

Individual workers have their own triggers. There is no cure for Misergonia. The workplace is a collection of people keeping in touch in different ways. Their habits and noises turn into something familiar for some colleagues but annoying for others.    5    

A．You'd better ask them for help.

B．And then there is the reply-all email.

C．Other noises are not so loud but just as annoying.

D．Or the mouse that gives up at just the wrong moment.

E．Nowadays, the computer has become an essential tool.

F．The only release is to try to be understanding and get used to it.

G．Verbal phrases(口头禅)are another headache for Misergonia sufferers.

7 . Have you ever bought a new car and started noticing the exact color and model of car everywhere? Has that type of car just become popular in your city? Were they there before? Or are you just going crazy?

You’re not going crazy. The reason you are now just noticing them is what psychologists call “priming”. Basically, the cars were always there. You just didn’t recognize them consciously. However, when that certain model of car becomes part of your conscious thinking, you start “automatically” recognizing all of the other cars that are the same, because you are already “primed” to do so.

The priming effect takes many forms. In one study, students were asked to walk around a room for 5 minutes at a rate of 30 steps per minute, which was about one-third their normal pace. After this brief experience, the participants were much quicker to recognize words related to old age, such as forgetful, old, and lonely. Reciprocal priming effects tend to produce a coherent reaction: if you are primed to think of old age, you would tend to act old, and acting old would reinforce the thought of old age. This research shows that the way we think influences the way we act, and the way we act influences the way we think.

A similar conclusion was reached by the American psychologist William James a century ago, but he emphasized the effect on feeling. “Actions seem to follow feeling, but really actions and feeling go together; and by regulating the action, which is under the more direct control of the will, we can indirectly regulate the feeling, which is not. Thus the path to cheerfulness, should our cheerfulness be lost, is to sit up cheerfully and to act and speak as if cheerfulness were already there.”

So, that’s it. If you want to be happy, just sit up and act happy. Based on these scientific findings, we can adopt certain priming effects to help make ourselves consistently happier.

One thing we have in common is our ability to think, and thus feel. Pleasant thoughts have been proven to produce the chemicals that make us feel happy, particularly thoughts and feelings of gratitude. When we purposefully go through and think about the things we’re grateful for and deliberately feel as much gratitude as we can, we are flooding our mind with the “happy chemicals”. Furthermore, by consciously thinking, feeling and expressing gratitude, we will not only be happier in the moment, we will be “primed” to recognize the things in our life to appreciate. Each time this happens, the “happy chemicals” will be produced. Do this every day and we will become consistently happier. This makes up for the momentary happiness we gain from eating chocolate or buying new clothes. More than that, combining thoughts of gratitude with happy acts like smiling and laughing will have a supplementary positive effect on our state of mind.

1. Which of the following is an example of the priming effect?

A．Walking much faster after attending a lecture about old age.

B．Donating money to the poor after seeing pictures of cute cats.

C．Learning about various types of cars after purchasing the first car.

D．Completing SO_P as SOUP rather than SOAP after seeing the word EAT.

2. What does the underlined word “reciprocal” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Related.

B．Two-way.

C．Well-rounded.

D．Opposite.

3. What will the author probably agree with?

A．Eating or shopping leads to consistent feelings of happiness.

B．Our will has greater control over emotions than over actions.

C．Happy chemicals make us think about the things we’re grateful for.

D．Practicing gratitude frequently prepares us for long-term happiness.

4. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A．Prime Yourself to Be Happier

B．Share Happiness to Enhance Wellbeing

C．Why Gratitude Is Important in Psychology

D．How Happy Chemicals Affect People’s Thoughts

8 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use ONE word that best fits each blank.

Coping With the Sunday Scaries

A few years ago, I was in the kitchen of a friend’s house preparing a meal. When we all sat down to eat, my friend’s wife wolfed down her supper and then disappeared into another room to do some work. He smiled and said, “Sunday nights are the new Monday mornings around here.”

I was surprised at the time. Now, I find myself     1    (behave) in exactly the same manner. Every time I open up my calendar on Sunday evening, a subtle sense of dread comes over me. I feel as     2     I am behind before the week has even begun.

Apparently, my Sunday-night anxieties and Monday-morning blues are not unique to me alone. A new study led by Ilke Inceoglu from the University of Exeter found that this phenomenon often takes the form of mental concerns about the week ahead, as well as feelings of nervousness and difficulty with sleeping. “It’s as if your mind moves away from     3     has been experienced over the weekend as the general sense of relaxation or enjoyment, and quickly shifts towards whatever worries you have about everything you’ve got to do in the work week ahead,” said one of Inceoglu’s respondents.

Inceoglu found that these Sunday scaries were particularly pronounced     4     people who frequently checked their emails during the weekend, had tasks left over from the previous week, and had unreasonably high expectations of themselves. These matters seem     5    (make) worse as a result of the pandemic, where the rise of working from home     6    (blur) the boundaries between work and leisure.

What should we do about the “Sunday scaries”? Researchers have offered some useful suggestions that     7     help us make Monday less depressing. One is to change     8     you think about the weekend. One U.S. study found that when participants were asked to treat their weekend as a mini-vacation, they tended to do more cheerful activities and returned to work on Monday satisfied with their jobs.     9     second way is to redesign our Monday so that it has some of the features that make us feel good during the weekend. Introducing simple changes, such as starting the day with something you are good at, setting aside a little unstructured time where you are able to do what you want, or setting up a lunchtime date with     10     you find enjoyable to be around, could make all the difference.

9 . 阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。

I had a very peaceful childhood and I mostly ignored the fact that my elder sister was different. She got “Asperger Syndrome” (社交困难症). It turned my parents’ world upside down - but they never let it affect me. My parents worked very hard at ensuring that everything seemed pleasant and quiet for me.

It was only at the age of ten that I started to notice the differences and became aware of my social life and self-image that I had carefully built up. My sister on the other hand, was socially awkward. She could not look at people in the eye. She would whisper to herself and repeat the words she had just said. However, she was academically capable, so we attended the same primary school. Despite this, I never admitted in public that she was my sister.

However, there was one incident that changed how I viewed my sister and changed me.

Being in primary six, about to graduate, my sister and her classmates had to put on a performance, whether in a group, or on their own. Because she failed to join others, she was the only one left without a group. The school had made it a must for everyone to perform, so my sister had to do it by herself. “I’ll sing,” my sister told my parents, somewhat confidently.

Hearing that, I was completely shocked. How could my sister who was socially awkward, sing in front of the school? I knew so very well that if I allowed this to happen, she would embarrass me. “No!” I protested. My parents shot me a look and I knew my sister was going to perform anyway, and I was going to be part of the audience watching her. Silently, I wished that something would happen and I would not have to watch my sister lose face.

注意：1. 续写次数应为130左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡相应位置作答。

On the day of performace, I sat in the hall.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I felt relaxed and appreciated it with excitement.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . Last Friday, Emma, my 11-year-old, decided to thank our local mailman Doug, for the service he provides for us.

Usually, a letter from her is likely to _________ some art, a joke or two, a mention of her younger brother, her cat… So, in her note to Doug, she _________ nothing out. “Dear sir, I’m Emma… Thank you for taking my letters and _________ them. You are very _________ to me. I make people happy with my letters, but you do, too.” Emma wrote. That afternoon, Doug took it when she smiling _________ it which was enough to him.

Saturday, Doug _________ at our house with a thank-you note. Then two days later, an unexpected package, full of _________ and letters from Doug’s colleagues in USPS _________ with him again.

To our amazement, these letters are so deeply human, filled with family _________, pets… and an overwhelming sense of __________. A Tracy wrote “Your letter __________ made a difference! Not many understand how hard we work…” Another, “I work alone here. And you __________ me of my son of your age…” Some Michael, to inspire Emma to start collecting stamps, even sent two special ones from his __________ while the rest were mailed for her to write back or to others.

With dozens of __________ pen-pals, Emma did what she does best. She wrote the dad. She wrote his son… She shared her time to give others the one thing they need to be well-human __________.

1.

A．enjoy

B．provide

C．include

D．admire

2.

A．gave

B．left

C．work

D．pick

3.

A．delivering

B．reading

C．protecting

D．receiving

4.

A．honest

B．polite

C．important

D．familiar

5.

A．returned

B．handed

C．accepted

D．mailed

6.

A．came out

B．got off

C．slowed down

D．showed up

7.

A．flowers

B．toys

C．notes

D．stamps

8.

A．arrived

B．traveled

C．disappeared

D．went

9.

A．photos

B．hobbies

C．books

D．jokes

10.

A．kindness

B．humor

C．justice

D．duty

11.

A．hardly

B．slightly

C．mildly

D．really

12.

A．inform

B．convince

C．remind

D．warn

13.

A．collections

B．workplaces

C．colleges

D．friends

14.

A．strange

B．familiar

C．new

D．close

15.

A．nature

B．connection

C．life

D．contribution